Waiting For Inspiration
Some years ago, I worked as a features reporter for a daily newspaper. After interviewing a source, I returned to the office and sat, hands poised over the keyboard, much as they are now, to pause, think and organize my thoughts.
My surly editor boss (aren’t they always surly?) often snarled, “What are you waiting for…divine inspiration?” And well, yes, I was waiting and hoping for inspiration of some kind.
Creative thinkers are often told that waiting for inspiration is a bad thing.
To me, inspiration is an idea, a thought, a seed that unexpectedly arrives in my brain’s inbox. And when it arrives, it needs to be pounced on, explored and nurtured. As a writer, it’s a direction to take an idea in, a road to travel on for a while.
Artist Chuck Close once said “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us show up and get to work.”
Inspiration is a beautiful beginning. The creative thinker knows that. The idea simply arrives, rough and unpolished And when it does, it needs to be welcomed, examined and mused over.
The artist, the creator, the writer, all tune into the new idea and they make a conscious decision to grow and polish that idea. Or, they might make the decision to discard the idea for a better one.
The next great idea is always right around the corner. Just waiting to be discovered. Waiting to be infused with each creative thinkers’ inner essence. Waiting to be shared.
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